RESTON, Va. – Fairfax County Supervisor Walter L. Alcorn, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) leadership and dozens of library supporters joined together on Sunday, February 4 as the FCPL Board of Trustees accepted a $100,000 gift from the Friends of Reston Regional Library (FRRL) to support the children’s collection.
The group primarily raises funds through their highly popular used book sales, with a single item ranging from $0.50 to $2.00. During this day’s donation presentation, the annual Mystery Book sale greeted library visitors as they walked through the front door further highlighting their tireless efforts. Annually, the Friends of Reston Regional Library receive, sort, process and sell an average of 40 tons of donated books and materials with proceeds benefitting FCPL’s programs, events and collection. This is not the first time they have donated a six-digit sum to benefit the community’s readers. In 2022, FRRL donated $200,000 to FCPL’s digital collection, reducing wait times for popular titles and increasing eAudiobook availability. Overall, FRRL has donated well over $400,000 in major gifts to the Fairfax County Public Library in the last ten years.
"FCPL is incredibly grateful for the consistent financial support and community advocacy provided by the Friends of the Reston Regional Library. This most recent donation is earmarked for children's books. Their daily effort to turn gently used donations into additional budget dollars means that our library system can get more new books into the hands of the children in our county. They're amazing and we are so appreciative," said FCPL Director Jessica Hudson.
Why children’s books for this particular donation? An FRRL spokesperson said, “Kids need libraries more than ever now, not less. This gift will help the library system add more much-needed books for kids and young adults. There will be fiction and non-fiction, picture books, series books like The Princess in Black and Dogman, chapter books, novels.... The Collection Services team is amazing – we know they will get the very most out of every dime.”